5 Ways to Reduce the Redness of Sunburn

While tanning in the summer sounds amazing, staying for a long time in the sun can cause sunburn. If you dozed off while receiving a tan, here are 5 ways to reduce the redness and pain that you are suffering from:

1. Apply Aloe Vera

The clear jelly-like substance found in the inner part of the aloe plant serves as a quick and fast remedy for sunburn. The gel contains glycoproteins, which relieve the pain and inflammation caused by the burn and repair the damaged skin cells. The gel also consists of lidocaine—an anesthetic that can relieve pain and form a protective layer over the burned skin.

You can use aloe vera in different ways. You can either abstract the gel directly from the plant to apply it, or you could buy lotions that contain aloe vera. You could blend aloe vera gel with coconut oil and lavender essential oil, and apply it 2-3 times on your burn without rinsing it off.

2. Drink a Lot of Water

Another effective method of reducing the redness from the sunburn is drinking as much water as you can. The sun has damaged your skin, which causes the body’s fluids to come to the surface. In this way, your body loses water more than it usually does. Hydrating yourself by drinking more water than your usual intake will prevent dehydration and help your skin heal more quickly.

So, hydrate, hydrate and hydrate!

3. Apply yogurt

As surprising as this may be, unflavored yogurt can actually heal the sunburn immediately. This natural remedy consists of enzymes and probiotics which form a thin layer over the burn until the skin restores its natural layer.

All you have to do is apply the yogurt on the burn for 10 minutes and then dab it off with a cool rag. To remove the yogurt, you could also wash it off with cold water. Make sure to go gentle with the rag while following this procedure.

4. Take a Cold Shower

Sunburn is basically an inflammation of the skin. According to Click Pharmacy, one of the easiest ways to treat sunburn is to jump in the water. Cooling down the burnt area will reduce the redness. Jumping in a lake, ocean, stream, or standing under the shower will do the trick. It will also enable your skin to retain moisture.

However, do not make the mistake of jumping into a swimming pool. The chlorinated water will irritate the skin more.

Once you are done putting water on yourself, dry yourself gently. Do not scrub your body rigorously; otherwise, your condition will worsen.

5. Apply Tea

Who knew tea could do more than just soothe your soul?

A freshly brewed cup of black tea or chamomile tea can reduce the redness of the burn. After the tea has cooled down, use a cloth to apply the tea to the affected area.

The tannic acid in black tea restores the pH balance of the skin by drawing out the heat from the burnt part of the skin. If you add mint in the tea, the cooling effect will be even better.

A small warning — if you are allergic to pollen, avoid the chamomile tea as it may trigger an allergic reaction.

Do not let the sunburn ruin your summer. Engage in these simple remedies and have a fun-filled vacation.

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I knew about the aloe (my family swears by most natural remedies), but apple yogurt?! That’s so stinkin’ cool!! I’m definitely going to have to remember these for my brother (he loved to kayak and fish with my dad, but he’s always forgetting sunscreen, so he comes home beat red. XD)

Thanks for the great advice! Before reading your entry, I never had heard of using tea, or yogurt. At least once a year I manage to burn myself, and earlier this summer it was my (conscious) fault. Things didn’t look so bad until I went inside. When I took off the sunglasses, it was obvious that yes, things were that bad. Thanks to you, the next time I’ll be better-equipped to deal with it!

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Hey there :), I’m a 30-year-old Polish girl, currently living in Canada. I’m a happy wife doing my very best to live life to the fullest 🙂 .
I have a master of Arts degree, majoring in socio-cultural animation (education) and I’ve completed “Styling & Image-Making” and “Personal Image & Beauty Expert” courses.
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